Kayaking continues to increase in popularity as a recreational outdoor sport and activity. A kayak is a single hulled water vessel that is propelled in the water by paddles controlled by a user. This invention is for use with a single-manned kayak 11 as shown in FIG. 1. This particular model kayak has a semi-enclosed cockpit 12 within which a kayaker may sit.
A seat 13 is mounted in the cockpit 12 for supporting the kayaker. The seat 13 is attached to the hull by seat towers 14. As shown in FIG. 1, two seat towers 14 are integrally molded to the seat 13 and the inside surface of the cockpit 12. The seat towers 14 depend substantially vertically from the top of the cockpit 12 to the seat 13, suspending the seat within the cockpit 12. Accessory parts are manufactured to adapt the seat 13 and cockpit area for the comfort of the kayaker. One such part is a back-band that is attached to the seat towers, or other areas of the cockpit. The back-band is secured in the cockpit so the back-band is suspended rearward of the seat to support the kayakers' back while sitting in the kayak.
Generally, back-bands include an elongated padded member. Straps are attached to the back-band and to different parts of the kayak within the cockpit area. One such back-band 15 is manufactured by Bomber Gear, Inc., shown in FIG. 2, and includes a foam piece covered by a skin. A nylon strap 16, sewn to the skin, has two looped ends 18. As illustrated in FIG. 3, each end of the strap 16 is inserted through an aperture machined through a flange on respective seats tower 14. As shown in FIG. 2, a section of "pvc" pipe 19 is fitted in each looped end 18 of the strap 16, and secured in the looped end 18 by a flexible wire 20. The pipe section 19 prevents the strap 16 from slipping through the aperture on the seat tower 14. The back strap is tightened or loosened by a buckle 17 through which the strap is threaded.
These prior art back-bands suffer from certain inefficiencies. The straps are made of a nylon-webbed material typically used for such a buckle and strap assemblies. The straps are awkward to handle during installation of the back-band. In addition, the back-bands require assembly of parts as described which unnecessarily complicate installation of existing back-bands.